Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 326 PM EDT Thu Oct 31 2013 Valid 00Z Fri Nov 01 2013 - 00Z Sun Nov 03 2013 ...Severe weather and flash flooding will remain a threat ahead of a cold front edging through Central U.S. into Thursday evening... ...A rapidly deepening cyclone will bring rain as well as strong and gusty winds to the Great Lakes and New England on Friday... A vigorous upper level jet and approaching shortwave energy combined with a warm and moist boundary layer will make organized severe weather possible this afternoon from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Great Lakes. The slow moving nature of the cold front across the southeast is expected to produce heavy rainfall and possibly flash flooding. The front is expected to increase speed as the mid level shortwave approaches from the west, so the flash flooding concerns are limited to today. The main surface low in the Great Lakes is expected to rapidly deepen over the next few days as it begins to cross the Great Lakes and pushes into Quebec. Strong and gusty winds are expected behind the frontal boundary across the Great Lakes and Northeast. The frontal boundary will slow down again as it nears the eastern seaboard due to a strong ridge of high pressure downstream in the North Atlantic. The pacific northwest will be fairly quite until Friday evening. Ample pacific moisture is expected to stream into the region ahead of an approaching surface low. By Saturday morning, heavy precipitation will be possible from the peaks of the Cascades westward to the coast, with snow in the higher elevations. Krekeler Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php